“I would hope that we could see the Criminal Assets Bureau operating local operations in tandem with the Gardai."

The Criminal Assets Bureau should become more involved in Gardai operations across Louth, according to local Sinn Fein councillor Ruairi O Murchu.

The Louth County councillor’s comments come ahead of the Joint Policing Committee meeting being held in Dundalk on Monday. Officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau will make a presentation at the meeting – which will be attended by senior Gardai, elected representatives, the local authority and community representatives.

“I will be calling for CAB to become more involved across Louth and in Dundalk and Drogheda,” O Murchu said.

He wants to see greater joint work between CAB and local Gardai on the ground in Louth, a move he believes will help disrupt drug dealers and organised criminals operating in the area.

“I would hope that we could see the Criminal Assets Bureau operating local operations in tandem with the Gardai.

“We have a serious problem with organised drug gangs across the county and in particular, Dundalk and Drogheda. The community suffers terribly from drug dealing, intimidation, arson and the violence of these gangs.

“The Criminal Assets Bureau have operated over the years as a serious tool against organised crime. In the last period, we have seen them in operation against criminals involved in the Kinahan Hutch fued and recently witnessed a major operation across Louth, Meath and Dublin.”

“The community suffers terribly from the drug dealing, intimidation, arson and the violence of these gangs,” the General Election candidate said. “The public want to see action.

“We welcome measures taken by the Gardai and the local authority in the last period against these gangs. We call on greater resources to allow for the deployment of the promised Drugs and Organised Crime Unit. This unit for the county was talked about at the last Dundalk JPC meeting.”

Next Monday’s meeting is a combined Ardee, Drogheda and Dundalk Local Policing Fora meeting, which will include Superintendents from all three Garda divisions, Chief Superintendent Christy Mangan, councillors, TDs, council management and community representatives.

“It is very encouraging to see CAN make this presentation in Dundalk,” O Murchu continued.

“Successful arrest operations can be difficult in a ‘subcontracted criminal enterprise’ where main players use vulnerable people as their ‘cut-outs’; and keep themselves ‘clean’.

“Many drug dealers are living cash rich and many without intricate money laundering systems and so we would hope this weak point could be used by CAB to disrupt, impact and possibly shut down some of their operations.”

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